Riley Rose’s Cofounder Shares K-Beauty Secrets

If you aren’t familiar with beauty emporium Riley Rose, you will be soon. Hatched by Forever 21 scions Linda and Esther Chang, the concept store is a shrine to glowing, Instagrammable skin, with snail slime face masks from Korea sold alongside American cult brands like Lime Crime. After launching in the Los Angeles suburb of Glendale in September with a party DJ’d by Kylie Jenner’s best friend Jordyn Woods, the ascendant brand has unveiled its second location in San Antonio, Texas – the first of eight glossy outposts poised to open across the U.S.

Interior at Riley Rose

Emulating the brick-and-mortar business model of their retail titan parents, Linda, who handles marketing, and Esther, who heads up visuals, will concentrate on malls, appointing each location with standard features like the “selfie wall” and Dylan’s Candy Bar kiosks. “Each Riley Rose location houses the same brands and gondolas,” Linda tells us. “What makes each store different are the food and beverage offerings; Riley Rose scouts buzzworthy local vendors in each region to partner with for in-store sweet treats.”

Jordyn Woods DJs Riley Rose’s opening night

While teens haven’t always been interested in collagen-boosting sheet masks, the rise of social media influencers and millennial-focused brands like Glossier have driven a younger, more diverse demographic to the beauty aisle. And while k-beauty’s potent ingredients and whimsical packaging have already fomented a niche following stateside, Riley Rose’s blueprint for expansion suggests it’s about to go mainstream. “We don’t have any locations finalized to open in New York,” says Linda, “However by the end of this year and early next, we will have locations everywhere from Chicago to Frisco, Texas.”

Interior at Riley Rose

Before long, there may be one at your local mall. See below for a few of Esther’s Riley Rose favorites.

Huxley Secret of Sahara Oil

Adding a bit of this oil on top of my moisturizer keeps my skin hydrated during the winter.

Moon River Naturals Peppermint Lavender Scrub

This keeps my skin feeling soft and also smells amazing!

Touch In Sol’s No Poreblem

This is my current go-to primer. I love the way it locks in my makeup all day!